Metapopulation dynamics and landscape ecology of the Florida scrub-jay, Aphelocoma coerulescens

410 Pages·1999·15.5 MB·English

by  Stith, Bradley M.

METAPOPULATIONDYNAMICSANDLANDSCAPEECOLOGYOFTHE
FLORIDASCRUB-JAY,APHELOCOMACOERULESCENS
By
BRADLEYM.STITH
ADISSERTATIONPRESENTEDTOTHEGRADUATESCHOOL
OFTHEUNIVERSITYOFFLORIDAINPARTIALFULFILLMENT
OFTHEREQUIREMENTSFORTHEDEGREEOF
DOCTOROFPHILOSOPHY
UNIVERSITYOFFLORIDA
1999
Dedicatedtomywifeandbestfriend,EllenMaryThorns
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Iwishtoacknowledgeeachofmycommitteemembersfortheirunique
contributionstothisdissertation.Mychairman,Dr.StephenR.Humphrey,stimulatedmy
interestsinissuesrelatingtophilosophy,policy,andmanagement.Hisbroadinterests
andabilitytotakeonmultiplecareerswereremarkable.Inmytimesofneedheprovided
unfailingsupportwhileallowingmegreatfreedomtopursuemyowncourseofstudy.As
directorofArchboldBiologicalStation,co-chairmanDr.JohnW.Fitzpatrickprovided
mewithawonderfulopportunitytostudytheFloridaScrub-Jayatthisworld-class
researchfacility.Hisabilitytoperformbrilliantlyasdirector,researcher,and
conservationistisinspirational.IamgratefultohimforsendingagenerousU.S.F.W.S.
grantmywaytosupportmetowardstheendofmyprogram.Iwasalsoprivilegedto
workunderthetutelageofthelegendarypioneerofFloridaScrub-Jayresearch,Dr.Glen
E.Woolfenden,whoshowedmetheworldfromaFloridaScrub-Jay'sperspective.My
collaborativeresearchwithDr.LynBranchontheVizcachaandtheFloridascrublizard,
wasajoy.Sheforcedmetothinkaboutlandscapeecologyandthemetapopulation
dynamicsof"lesser"organisms.Hersupport,financialandotherwise,wasextraordinary,
andanicerpersonIhavenevermet.Dr.JonAllenexposedmetopopulationmodeling
fromanentomologistsperspective.Hisenthusiasmforteachingandhelpinggraduate
studentssolvetechnical problemswasexceptional.
ThestaffatArchboldBiologicalStationmademystaythererewardingbeyond
words.WorkingwithDr.ReedBowmanattheAvonParkBombingRange,andlearning
iii
abouthissuburbanFloridaScrub-Jays,wasmoststimulating.Hisinvitationtoparticipate
intheBrevardcountyHabitatConservationPlanscientificcommitteewasmost
appreciated.SpecialthanksgotoSteveFriedmanandRobertaPickertfortheirhelpwith
GISproblems.DanChilds,formermanageroftheaffiliatedMacArthurAgricultural
ResearchCenter,andhisstaffprovidedunfailingassistanceinmanyways. Current
ArchbolddirectorDr.HilarySwainprovidedgeneroustravelsupportforthe1997AOU
meeting.
Forcollectingthebulkofthedemographicdatausedinchapter3,1amindebted
toReedBowman,DougStotz,LarryRiopelle,NatalieHamel,andMikeMcMillan. I
thankthestaffattheNaturalResourcesOfficeattheAvonParkAirForceRange,
especiallyBobProgulske,PaulEbersbach,andPatWalshfortheirsupport.
DaveMcDonaldwasinstrumentalinrecruitingmetoworkonthestatewidejay
surveyandexposingmetotheopportunitiesatArchbold.Dr.KeithTarvinandDr.Curt
Atkinsonkindlylentmeradiotelemetryequipmentandprovidedmuchvaluableadvice.
SpecialthanksgotoDr.RonMummewhokindlyallowedmetousecolorbandedjays
fromthesouthtractofArchboldwhichhehasbeenmonitoringformanyyears.Hisprior
workinbanding,taming,andsexingthesejayswascriticaltoidentifyingcandidatesfor
thedisplacementexperiment.BillPrantyworkedtirelesslywithmetodigitizemajor
portionsofthestatewidesurvey.SteveSchoechprovidedoccasionalfieldsupportand
manyhoursofentertainmentontheArchboldtenniscourt.
Forstimulatingdiscussionsaboutjaysandlandscaperules,Iamindebtedtomany
colleaguesengagedinthestudyofFloridaScrub-Jaysandtheirconservation.Participants
intheHabitatConservationPlanninggroupwhomIhavenotyetmentionedinclude
iv
DavidBreininger,GraceIverson,MichaelO'Connell,ParksSmall,JonThaxton,and
BrianToland.Thefollowingpeoplecontributeddataforthestatewidesurvey: Reed
Bowman,DaveBreininger,JackDozier,FloridaGameandFreshWaterFish
Commissionpersonnel,GraceIverson,DavidMcDonald,RonMumme,OcalaNational
Forestpersonnel,BillPranty,HilarySwain,JonThaxton,andBrianToland.Ithank
DavidWesleyandDawnZattau,oftheU.S.FishandWildlifeService,whoprovided
leadfundingforthestatewidesurveyandhelpedstimulateourdiscussionsofhabitat
conservationplanning.
Forspecialassistancewithsite-specificquestionsrelatedtothemapsinchapter5:
MaryBarnwell,JimBeever,ReedBowman,DaveBreininger,MikeEagen,Mary
Huffman,GraceIverson,MikeJennings,LauraLowry,DanPearson,GaryPopotnik,Bill
Pranty,ParkSmalls,HankSmith,JonThaxton,BrianToland,JaneTutin.Forassistance
withGISdata:ReedBowman,DaveBreininger,KathyBronson,BethNeedham,Bill
Pranty,RobertaPickert,KatyNeSmith. Foradviceregardingmodeling:ReedBowman,
DaveBreininger,JohnFitzpatrick,GlenWoolfenden.BillPrantydeservesspecialthanks
fortheexceptionallydetailedinformationhehascollatedonscrub-jaylocationsaround
thestate(Prantyetal.manuscript).InputfrommembersoftheRecoveryTeamwasmost
helpful.ThanksgototheU.S.F.W.S.forfundingtheresearchinchapter5,andespecially
toDawnZattauforhersupportandpatience.
IthankthesupportstaffattheUniversityofFloridaDepartmentofWildlife
EcologyandConservation.JoeGasperprovidedextraordinarycomputersupport.
LeonardPearlsteinandtheentireUSFWScoopunithelpedwithinnumerablecomputer
problems.IthanksupportstaffatCircacomputing,especiallyJiannongXinfor
v
programmingresources,andJohnDixonforstatisticalhelp.Dr.KenPortieralso
providedvaluablestatisticaladvice.
Last,butnoleast,Ithankmyfamilyandespeciallymywife,EllenThorns.
vi
1
TABLEOFCONTENTS
page
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
iii
LISTOFTABLES
xii
LISTOFFIGURES xv
ABSTRACT
CHAPTERS
INTRODUCTION
1 !
HistoricalBackground
2
BiologicalBackground 3
Objectives 4
2CLASSIFYINGFLORIDASCRUB-JAYMETAPOPULATIONS 9
Introduction g
StatewideSurveyoftheFloridaScrub-Jay 1
StatewideSurvey:Methods
AMeSttahtoedwifdoerSCularsvseiyf:yiRnegsuMlettsapopulations 1134
MetapopulationStructureoftheFloridaScrub-Jay "18
DispersalDistances 19
PatchOccupancy 20
PopulationViabilityAnalysis 22
MetapopulationStructure 23
Caveats 25
3REMOTESENSINGOFFLORIDASCRUB-JAYHABITAT 40
Introduction 4q
Methods 42
ImageSource 42
ImageScanningandConversion 43
ImageRectificationandMosaicing 43
vii
ImageClassification 44
ManualEditingofClassification 45
AssessmentofClassificationAccuracy 46
DigitizationofTerritoriesandBackgroundFeatures 47
TreeCoverBufferingProcedure 47
HabitatQualityModel 4g
CollectionofDemographicData 49
Habitat-DemographicAnalysis 49
Results "50
Discussion 54
4MODELINGDISPERSALINTHEFLORIDASCRUB-JAY 86
Introduction g^
DispersalStrategies g9
DispersalTraitsoftheFloridaandWesternScrub-Jay '90
Methods "^
GeneralApproach 92
GISFiles 92
SimulatingPhilopatricDispersal 93
Shortdistancedispersalalgorithmdevelopmentandcalibration 94
SimulatingLongDistanceDispersal 95
Estimatingfloatermortalityandmobility 96
Habitatattractiveness 9-7
Floaterdetectionradius 97
Estimatingfloaterfrequency 9g
Floateralgorithmdevelopmentandcalibration 102
MCoondsJetalryaVidaniltsipAdlnaaatcliyeosmniesntexperiment I11000g63
Results
FRlaodaitoetrelPeamreatmreyteDrisEpstliamcaetmieonntExperiment \08
ConstraintAnalysis 1]122j
CalibrationandValidation l\2
Discussion jj^
5METAPOPULATIONVIABILITYANALYSISOFTHEFLORIDASCRUB-
JAY
132
MInettrhoodducstionandObjectives jj3„2
SimulationModelDescription 135
LifeStages
136
AStnanrutainlgLPiofpeuClyactiloenStageStructure "' ZZ....... 113377
Territories ,14,0A
viii
BackgroundLandscapeImage 141
MapProduction 143
Statewidemetapopulationmap 143
1992-1993SMPmaps ZZZZZZZZ143
Acquisitionmaps ..144
GISDatabasePreparation 146
Estimationofjaypopulationsafterrestoration 146
Identificationofprotectedareas 147
Assessmentofunprotectedareas 147
Suburbanjays 14g
Simulationruns I49
Repetitionsanddurationofsimulations 149
Reservedesignconfigurations 150
Outputstatistics 151
ModelValidation/Calibration 152
InterpretingSimulationResults 152
Results
Levy(CedarKey)(Ml) ZZZZZZZZ 155
Citrus-S.W.Marion(M2) ZZZZZZ! "164
NMSP.aaarnsWaacs.tooe-tCeaHh--eaSWrr.n.loaHtCnithdleaolrs(l(bMoMot63rt)o)eu(ghM5()M4) ZZZZZZZZZZ!' 21110g794666
CentralCharlotte(M7) 212
FLleaeglaenrd-NN..E.CoVlolliuesri(aM(8M)9) ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ222280
NMe.rrBirtetvaIrsldan(dM-lS.1E).Volusiaand(M10) ZZZZZZZ224346
CentralBrevard(M12) 253
S.Brevard-IndianRiver-N.St.Lucie(M13) ZZ! Z261
St.Lucie-N.Martin(Ml4) 270
MSaoruttihnPaanldmNB.eaPcahlm(MBlea6c)h(Ml5) ZZZZZZ ZZZZ!228768
NSO..cEaW.l.aLVNaoaklteuiso(inMaall(8MF)lor9e)st(M17) ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ 323109204
LCeankteraWlaLlaekseR(idMg2e0)(M21) ZZZZZI!!Z!!!!Z!!!Z!!!ZZZZZZZ"332186
OtherMetapopulations 344
Brevardbarrierisland 344
OCslcaeyocloaunty ""334444
WesternPolk ^45
BrightHourRanch 345
Recommendations
346
RankingMetapopulationVulnerability 346
ix
SummaryofRecommendations 349
Discussion ..359
6SYNTHESIS 365
REFERENCES
372
BIOGRAPHICALSKETCH
383
x